Thursday, 13 November 2014

Day 13: Filled With Joy

Welcome to our 25 day Advent study and Advent Calendar which we are
preparing through November to be able to use in December. Each day has
a Bible Study related to Advent, a worship video, a passage telling the
Christmas Story and a Bible verse to ise on your Advent Calendar. You
can download the PDF with today's study and verses here.

Advent Study
“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:3

This short verse not only summarizes what Christmas is all about, it also summarizes what Christians believe. The Lord has sent a Savior – Jesus – and He has redeemed us from our sins. To redeem means to buy back ... He bought us back with the innocent suffering and death of His Son. And God gives all of this to us, above and beyond the daily blessings He provides, despite our complete unworthiness. No wonder we are filled with joy. Nowhere in God’s Word does He say that we have done great things for Him so that He can be impressed. In fact, the one man who said something similar went home unjustified according to Jesus (Luke 18:9-14). We have not done great things for God, nor can we do so. We cannot measure how close we are to God by figuring out how good we are, no matter how much we imagine our good works are worth. God knows we are unworthy, and still He does great things for us.

The Good News of the Gospel is that Jesus has done for us the great things we could not do for ourselves. We are filled with joy – at Christmas and forever – because what Jesus has done brings us forgiveness, peace, reconciliation with God, and life everlasting in paradise.

Prayer
Lord God, I praise you and thank you for fulfilling the promises in the Bible by sending your Son, Jesus, to redeem me from all my sins. I realize that I have tried to do things my own way instead of turning to you, but I ask forgiveness for my sins. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Ponder
The song “O Come all Ye Faithful” reminds us of what Jesus has done for us and helps us to focus on the joy of his work. Look up the words of the song, or listen to the song and experience His joy!

Worship Video

Christmas StoryLuke 2:1-5
The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

Bible VerseLuke 2:4
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.